Modesto native, now business exec, shares views on job market

Gary D. Nelson, 71, left Modesto for San Jose State College in 1955. At the time, Modesto had a population of 19,000. It has since grown to 203,955.

In his Downey High School yearbook he listed three goals: become a millionaire, be a good family man and become a great author.

"Well, I accomplished the first two," Nelson said shortly before the one-year anniversary party for the Modesto location of Nelson Staffing, a labor firm.

Here, Nelson explains how a Modesto boy from a single-parent home, who was the first high school graduate in his family, became successful in the human resources and employment field:

Q: What did your parents do?

A: My mom worked in a cannery on line peaches and apricots. She also worked for a trading stamp company and Turner Hardware.

My parents divorced early. And my dad moved to Stockton and worked for the port authority. I was 3 years old when he left. I was the only one at school functions who didn't have a father.

Q: Where did you go to college?

A: San Jose State. I have a degree in journalism. I wanted to be a sportswriter, but I couldn't get a job. So I went to work for the state personnel board.

Q: How did you get started?

A: In 1970, about nine years after I graduated, I decided I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. I started an HR consulting firm with $10,000 in San Rafael. It was a 15-by-18-foot office. Two people worked there, including me. I made $400 a month and supported a wife and children on that.

Now, I have 16 offices in Northern California and have people working in

45 states and Canada.

Q: How did you go from a consulting firm to a multitiered company?

A: We evolved. We went from consulting to recruiting. Then, in the '80s, I saw what was happening with contingent (temporary) workers, so I got into that. Then, I saw what was happening with independent contracting and compliance in the 1990s, so I got into that.

The latest thing is a software application called WorkforceLogic to help manage all of the temporary workers.

Q: Looking back, what key decisions did you make that helped your company become what it is today?

A: Hired good people. There are a few key people who really helped build a reputation for quality.

Q: What mistakes have you learned from?

A: I've learned to be more patient, because I'm pretty intense. I think patience is something that comes with age.

Q: What work force trends are you seeing in this economy?

A: At this juncture, it's more of a buyers' market. There are a lot of highly qualified people out there looking for jobs. It's not easy to look all of these quality applicants in the face and provide hope. We have to be pragmatic and provide balance.

I think it's going to get worse in '09 and 2010. The fear factor will hold back the economy until consumers are more confident.

Bee staff writer Eve Hightower can be reached at ehightower@modbee.com or 578-2382.